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Archive | February 2016

As any entomologist will tell you, different species of insect exhibit different kinds of behavior, from the mating and cannibalism rituals of mantids to the aggressive violence of fire ants and killer bees. Perhaps the quintessential insect behavioral pattern is that of swarming, which is found all over the animal kingdom and in some forms of high technology research, even instead of robots. Insects, however, produce what might be the most impressive swarms, such as the majesty of a mountain full of monarch butterflies to entire forests filled with the same species of insect working in tandem. It’s a fairly impressive sight. Yet, it behooves all insect lovers to also contemplate more mundane swarms. Bee swarms in particular of note as they are not only glorious in their own right, but are also a vital element of the process by which human beings harvest honey for both culinary and economic reasons.

Honey bee swarming behavior is basically the process by which a new colony of honey bees comes into being. It begins when a newly matured queen bee leaves the colony, bringing with her a large group of worker bees, sometimes as much as 60 percent of a hive’s worker bees, which can amount to thousands or even tens of thousands of honey bees leaving a hive and flying towards a new location with their young queen. This process happens maintain in spring, with the most common time of swarming usually varying depending on the hive’s location, usually inside the same two or three week period, but sometimes a swarm will emerge at other times during the producing season. Swarms that occur outside the producing season are usually much smaller and lead only by one or more virgin queen bees. At times, swarming will happen so often in a season that a hive will see almost all of its worker bees leaving the hive to establish new ones.

In much the same way that bees reproduce and propagate their species, swarming is how honey bee colonies reproduce. Through this swarming behavior, one colony can spawn one or two, occasionally more, new colonies of honey bee, all of them generating honey in greater amounts and spreading pollen ever further. Honey bees have certain criteria for establishing hives in suitable places. Honey bee scouts seek out dry, unoccupied areas that enjoy a degree of protection from hot winds and cold temperatures. Hollowed out trees are a popular long term hive location in nature, but sometimes bees choose to move into human built places as well, usually non-insulated walls and floor joists. Honey bee colonies as a whole are most vulnerable during swarming seasons. Bee swarms starve if they don’t find a good place to lair as they can only carry the nectar and honey they can contain their stomachs. The new honey bee queen can be lost or eaten during the flight to the new hive location, while less than desirable weather conditions can also hinder her trip. If enough queens are lost and a hive does not have any more queens, it will eventually die off.

In the sweltering climate of Texas, some things are inevitable, from problem sweating to dehydration to any number of problems associated with excessive heat, particularly during the summer months. One particular problem of the Texas summer is the thriving colonies of insects that, like clockwork, emerged from hibernation and swarm all over the state. Some of these insects are more dire than others; fire ants and killer bees, both invasive species, are threats to the environment and at times humans. Others, such as wasps and ground hornets, are less dangerous but their stings can still be incredibly painful and a potential safety threat if they have established a large enough colony.

One insect problem of the summer is a bit more complex. Honey bees are less aggressive than wasps and hornets and benefit the environment by spreading the pollen of local plants, yet they are undeniably a pest and are nothing but trouble when they set up a hive inside a house or a yard. Poisoning these bees like common pests is, to put it bluntly, a very bad idea; the dead bees will decompose and their corpses and hive will attract other, less pleasant pests, while the honey and wax will decay from heat and other vermin, causing it to seep through wood and sheetrock alike causing terrible staining and sometimes even serious property damage if the hive was large enough to strain the structure. While this makes simply killing a hive of honey bees a bad idea, few pest companies will remove the honey bees and their hive.

Fortunately, in the Houston, Texas area, there is help available. There are Houston bee removal services that will remove honey bees from structures for a fee while taking as much of the hive and as many bees as possible away from the structure and moving them to outdoor bee farms where they can be put to good, productive use making honey. The method by which Houston bee removal experts extract bees and their hive are varied depending on where the bees have established a colony. Bees generally set up hives in unoccupied, dry areas, at least somewhat protect from hot winds and the cold. Non-insulated walls, hollowed out trees and floor joists are the most frequent cavities where honey bees set up shop. Attics are uncommon hive locations as they are often too hot for honey bees. This is the same reason honey bees seldom create hives in south facing walls; conversely, overhanging eaves on north and east facing walls where there is adequate shade are favored by honey bees.

Few if any use chemicals in their work as that may damage the hives or the bees which can then be turned into a profitable colony of worker bees. They are not pest control companies and they do not work for free despite profiting from the bees, but they do know what they are doing, and strive to be professional and efficient when removing bee hives from properties where they are not wanted.

You want all of your property to be safe and comfortable for you, your family and guests. In order to do this, you need to make sure that there are not rodents, bugs or other pests on the land or in your home that could create a problem for anyone. The best way to do this is to find a natural pest control Houston, Texas, company.

The types of pests that are a problem in your neighborhood will help to determine the services that you may require. Also, the method of treatment may differ from one species to another. For instance, bees are an important part of the ecosystem. Rather than destroy any bees, it is far better that pest control services relocate the nest to a safe location.

When it comes to rodents, there are several types of treatments that you can choose from. These have different levels of effectiveness and you may even decide upon a combination of treatments. There are certain soundwaves that can be heard by them but not humans. You may discover that your natural pest control specialist recommends using these for certain parts of your property. Of course, this may depend on the other animals on your land that are actually meant to be there.

While that is a deterrent, you will need a way to get rid of any existing rodents. There are kill and non-kill methods.

If you have pests that have entered your home, you likely have some damage from them. You need to get them out and have it repaired quickly to keep the costs down. Rodents and bugs can chew through wiring, which is very dangerous. Also, their droppings are a breeding ground for bacteria and other undesirable organisms.

While you can go with chemical extermination means, you and your family deserve natural pest control Houston services. If you have children in the home, you do not want to worry about chemicals being sprayed on the floor and into the air. These can cause troubles that will haunt them for years.

Likewise, elderly people and animals are at risk around chemical based solutions to pest control. Even healthy people do not need to add to the list of toxins they are exposed to! You are making a smart choice for everyone living in your home and those who visit by choosing natural solutions whenever possible in your life.

If you grow plants, particularly edibles or medicinal ones, you want to keep the amount of toxins on your property as low as possible. Even if your yard is just used for playing and hanging out, you do not want toxins being used to treat outdoor pests. These are often easily absorbed through the skin and can cause health problems in the long run.

Whether you want to work on preventative measures, get rid of an infestation or both, you need to find a Houston-based company that offers natural pest control services that you can rely on.

After seeing a rogue mouse in your home and perhaps a few cockroaches, do you run to the store and grab a few traps and some bug spray? Sometimes the cheaper commercialized products you find at the department store might get the pests out of sight and out of mind, yet usually the appearance of these critters is indicative of a much larger problem. It’s then that the pests show back up, perhaps in much larger numbers, and you realize you have an infestation on your hands.

Are you ready to call the exterminator? You can fight a bigger battle even on your own terms, but pest removal Houston companies can join in the fight at any time. You still need your home sealed up, food scraps removed from the kitchen right after you’re done prepping, cooking and eating and you need to be sure that all trash is taken out in a timely manner. Pest control companies can provide you with much more than that generic advice, and they want to help you in your efforts to rid your home of pests.

It’s one thing to have a minor ant problem, but it’s a whole different story when you have a family of mice making everyone wanting to jump on top of furniture. Does anyone in your home have a fear of spiders? Arachnophobia is no joke, and there are some dangerous spiders out there. In Texas, scorpions are also a pest problem that can turn quite nasty, and don’t forget the tarantulas. That is why a pest removal Houston company might need to do an assessment of your home to see what pest prevention measures need to be in place.

Some homes also have problems with bats, fleas, bed bugs, termites and more. Bed bugs have to be eliminated using a special thermal treatment, and termites have to be eliminated using termiticides. There are in fact many pest problems that homeowners can’t take care of on their own. Sometimes it’s not easy to tell that you have a particular pest infestation, too. It’s better to be sure, and the only way you can be for sure is to call a pest control company.

Don’t forget about those mosquitoes! There are also skunks and other pests that are just as large or larger than mice and rats, such as squirrels. You might be thinking that squirrels aren’t going to cause you any problems, but just wait until there is a family of them running around inside your attic. There are also snakes, and the list goes on and on. Plenty of these pests are common infestation issues in Texas. Have you heard of the walking stick?

The more rural the area, the bigger chance of an infestation occurring, generally speaking. Houston might be one of the largest cities in the United States, but there are plenty of suburban and even rural outlying areas, such as Katy, Texas. Do you need a pest control service on your side to help fight the army of insects and other critters that are trying to infiltrate your home?

Do You Need Wildlife Removal Services for Your Residential or Commercial Property?

Although people acknowledge your land ownership, wildlife does not. No matter where you live, there will always be indigenous animals that will attempt to encroach upon your land and into your buildings. Some of these can be quite dangerous to encounter and there are many who bring diseases along with their filthy habits.

If you have discovered any type of feral creature on your property, you need to contact wildlife removal services for assistance. The longer you wait, the greater the damage will be and the greater danger you put you and others in. Once the animals are removed, you will also need to have restoration services done to return the building to safety.

The wildlife likely to come into your home or office will depend a great deal on where you live. In some places, creatures like deer get lost in the city from time to time. Bears are known to forage in some suburban communities and other large animals can be an issue from time to time. However, the vast majority of problems related to wildlife are smaller.

Rodents are one of the biggest nuisances in communities across the country. From tiny mice to fully matured racoons, these animals can create all types of devastation if they choose to inhabit your building. Squirrels are more likely to build in your attic while rats and mice prefer ground level homes. Racoons will generally break in and steal items rather than setting up a permanent residence inside of your home.

All of these rodents can bring diseases, including on the fleas they carry. This is just one of the dangers that they cause when moving into your home or office. They will all need materials for nesting and food to eat. With teeth that continue to grow, these critters will gnaw through your wood, wiring, insulation and anything else they come in contact with deemed suitable.

Along the way, they will contaminate their areas with urine and feces, weakening the structure of the floor. This creates a horrible stench and is a place for germs to grow. Once they have been removed, you will need to clean the area, replace anything which has been damaged and seal off the point of entry. Otherwise, you will have new problems.

Snakes are a common occurrence in some areas. Though you may be tempted to leave non-poisonous ones alone, you will end up with more in your home. Obviously, in the case of poisonous ones you need them removed immediately.

The type of wildlife you have in your building will determine the appropriate course of action for wildlife removal services. In the case of smaller animals, you can find a reputable pest control company that operates in your city. Make certain they handle the type of animal you have found. On the other hand, if you have an alligator in your kitchen, you should contact the state wildlife agency from a safe distance!